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Catfish Hunter
James Augustus "Catfish" Hunter (April 8, 1946 – September 9, 1999) was an American professional baseball player in Major League Baseball (MLB). From 1965 to 1979, he was a pitcher for the Kansas City / Oakland Athletics and New York Yankees. Hunter is the only pitcher since 1915 to win 200 games by age 31. He is often referred to as baseball's first big-money free agent, and was a member of five World Series championship teams.
Hunter was married to Helen Hunter and they had three children. Hunter retired at age 33 following the 1979 season, after developing persistent arm problems, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987. He was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, in his early 50s, and died of the disease about a year after his diagnosis. Hunter has been the subject of numerous popular culture references, including the Bob Dylan song "Catfish".
The youngest son of eight children, Hunter was born and raised in Hertford in northeast North Carolina. He grew up on a farm and excelled in a variety of sports at Perquimans County High School. Hunter played linebacker and offensive tackle in football as well as shortstop, cleanup batter, and pitcher in baseball. His older brothers taught him to pitch, and his pitching skill began to attract scouts from major-league teams to Hertford. He led the Perquimans baseball team to the 1963 NCHSAA 2A state title his junior season.
During his senior year in November 1963, Hunter's right foot was wounded by a brother in a hunting accident; he lost one of his toes and shotgun pellets lodged in his foot. The accident left Hunter somewhat hobbled and jeopardized his prospects in the eyes of many professional scouts, but the Kansas City Athletics signed Hunter to a contract. Hunter was sent to the Mayo Clinic that year so that surgeons could work on his foot. He recovered in La Porte, Indiana, at the farm of Athletics owner Charles O. Finley.
Hunter signed with the A's on June 8, 1964, for a reported $75,000, but did not play professionally during the 1964 regular season due to foot surgery and the subsequent recovery from his hunting accident the previous fall. He made his professional baseball debut in the Florida Instructional League in the fall of 1964.
It is commonly cited that Finley gave Hunter the nickname "Catfish" in 1965 because he thought his 19-year-old pitcher needed a flashy nickname. A story circulated that his family gave him the nickname as a child when he went missing and was later found with a string of catfish; there is no truth to that explanation. However, news articles published mere days after his signing in 1964 reference the nickname (as well as that of John "Blue Moon" Odom, who signed at the same time).
Aside from the fall stint in the instructional league, Hunter never played in the minor leagues. He made his major league debut in May, 1965 and earned his first win on July 27 in Fenway Park over the Boston Red Sox. In 1966 and 1967, he was named to the American League All-Star team.
Prior to the 1968 season, Finley moved the A's from Kansas City to Oakland.
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Catfish Hunter
James Augustus "Catfish" Hunter (April 8, 1946 – September 9, 1999) was an American professional baseball player in Major League Baseball (MLB). From 1965 to 1979, he was a pitcher for the Kansas City / Oakland Athletics and New York Yankees. Hunter is the only pitcher since 1915 to win 200 games by age 31. He is often referred to as baseball's first big-money free agent, and was a member of five World Series championship teams.
Hunter was married to Helen Hunter and they had three children. Hunter retired at age 33 following the 1979 season, after developing persistent arm problems, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987. He was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, in his early 50s, and died of the disease about a year after his diagnosis. Hunter has been the subject of numerous popular culture references, including the Bob Dylan song "Catfish".
The youngest son of eight children, Hunter was born and raised in Hertford in northeast North Carolina. He grew up on a farm and excelled in a variety of sports at Perquimans County High School. Hunter played linebacker and offensive tackle in football as well as shortstop, cleanup batter, and pitcher in baseball. His older brothers taught him to pitch, and his pitching skill began to attract scouts from major-league teams to Hertford. He led the Perquimans baseball team to the 1963 NCHSAA 2A state title his junior season.
During his senior year in November 1963, Hunter's right foot was wounded by a brother in a hunting accident; he lost one of his toes and shotgun pellets lodged in his foot. The accident left Hunter somewhat hobbled and jeopardized his prospects in the eyes of many professional scouts, but the Kansas City Athletics signed Hunter to a contract. Hunter was sent to the Mayo Clinic that year so that surgeons could work on his foot. He recovered in La Porte, Indiana, at the farm of Athletics owner Charles O. Finley.
Hunter signed with the A's on June 8, 1964, for a reported $75,000, but did not play professionally during the 1964 regular season due to foot surgery and the subsequent recovery from his hunting accident the previous fall. He made his professional baseball debut in the Florida Instructional League in the fall of 1964.
It is commonly cited that Finley gave Hunter the nickname "Catfish" in 1965 because he thought his 19-year-old pitcher needed a flashy nickname. A story circulated that his family gave him the nickname as a child when he went missing and was later found with a string of catfish; there is no truth to that explanation. However, news articles published mere days after his signing in 1964 reference the nickname (as well as that of John "Blue Moon" Odom, who signed at the same time).
Aside from the fall stint in the instructional league, Hunter never played in the minor leagues. He made his major league debut in May, 1965 and earned his first win on July 27 in Fenway Park over the Boston Red Sox. In 1966 and 1967, he was named to the American League All-Star team.
Prior to the 1968 season, Finley moved the A's from Kansas City to Oakland.
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